Texas Injury Law Blog : Dallas Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Fears Nachawati Law Firm : Personal Injury, Wrongful Death : Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Texas

Last weekend, Steven McShan, a 24-year-old Houston firefighter, attempted to climb from a second floor to a third floor balcony where several children were playing. As McShan was pulling himself up, the railing he was holding onto gave way. McShan wasn’t able to regain his grip on the third floor or his footing on the second and, tragically, he fell 40 feet to his death.

Firefighters face dangers every day in the line of duty. Whether fighting fires or helping children, they frequently encounter risks – and injuries – that are unique. Those unusual risks include noxious smoke inhalation, scalding heat, and dangerous products, such as loose railings. If you have a loved one who works in the fire department, make sure that they talk to a medical and legal expert if they’re injured. To speak with the experts in the law governing firefighter-related injuries, contact the team of specialists at Fears | Nachawati. For a free consultation, call 1.866.705.7584 or email info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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In 2011, Texas has experienced the most intense and costly season of wildfires in memory. Out-of-control blazes have destroyed more than 5,000 square miles of land from the semi-desert of west Texas to the east Texas piney woods. It’s no surprise: the National Interagency Fire Center reports that 71 percent of Texas is in exceptional drought, the most severe category, and 21 percent of Texas is in extreme drought.

The summer fires this year are unique not only because of their size and severity, but also where they are starting. Homes in the Austin suburbs, lakefront property near Fort Worth, communities across the Gulf Coast, and the McDonald Observatory, a leading astronomical research facility, in far west Texas, are just some of the usually safe areas that have been threatened by this year’s extreme conditions.

With parts of Texas new to the threat of wildfires – and to the necessity of negotiating with tight-fisted insurance companies – many Texas policyholders need the help of experts to secure the compensation they deserve. If you or a loved one is a victim of Texas wildfires, contact the insurance experts at Fears | Nachawati. For a free consultation, call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Yesterday a 50-year-old man fell into Lake Houston from his Jet Ski. While his fellow passenger, a 10-year-old child, was accounted for, the Jet Ski’s driver was not located by the Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department. The entire incident raises new, challenging questions about the safety of Jet Skis and the extent to which dangerous designs put customers at risk.

Want to know more about the risks associated with Jet Skis? Are you also concerned by the product’s faulty design? If so, contact the personal injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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A flash fire at the KMTEX Chemical Plant last week took the life of Johnny Williams, 58, as well as injuring three others. The fire began when pipeline workers welding a pipe made contact with an extremely flammable solvent, coal tar naphtha. Coal tar naphtha is a byproduct of refined crude oil and can be ignited by heat, sparks and open flames. The explosion was so powerful that witnesses a mile away reported feeling the shock.

The attorneys at Fears | Nachawati know what its like when a loved one is injured or killed in an accident. If you or a loved one have been hurt on the job, contact us for a free consultation so that you can know all of the legal options at your disposal. We’re ready to help you! Call us at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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 A natural gas plant operated by the Houston-based Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), a publicly traded company, erupted in an explosion last week, causing a fire that could be seen for more than a dozen miles away. While no injuries were reported or evacuations required, state highway 146 was shut down.

Natural gas plants and oil refineries are notoriously susceptible to explosions and fires. On many occasions, explosions and fires are the result of preventable risks. Too often, negligent companies fail to properly safeguard against their product’s combustibility. If you are injured during your work at a natural gas plant or oil refinery, call the injury experts at Fears | Nachawati. With years of experience, our expertise is courtroom tested! Give us a call at 1.866.705.7584 or send an email to info@fnlawfirm.com. 

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Five people were injured in a gas explosion in a Mexican restaurant in Gainesville, Texas.  Three women, a young girl and a toddler are being treated at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for burns.  One victim is in critical condition, while the other four are in serious condition.  The natural gas explosion occurred in the restaurant's kitchen.  Investigations continue. 

If you have been injured on business premises or on someone else's property, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering and other damage.  Call the experienced attorneys of Fears | Nachawati today at 1.866.705.7584 to discuss your case.

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A fire at LyondellBasell's oil refinery on the Houston ship channel broke out yesterday afternoon.  The blaze, which started in a crude distillation unit, sent huge plumes of black smoke into the air.  The fire burned for more than an hour

Two firefighters were injured while fighting the fire, suffering heat exhaustion. 

The refinery is the country's 16th largest, and refines 268,000 barrels of oil per day.  An incident in July 2008 at the facility involving a crane killed four workers. 

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire and continue to assess the extent of damage to the refinery. 

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One adult and two children were killed in a firey single-car accident near the intersection of I-20 and I-35W in Fort Worth early Sunday morning. 

Investigators say that the driver, a woman, was traveling on the northbound service road of 35 when the car crossed over the right curb.  The car then struck the base of an overhead sign and caught fire. 

In addition to the driver, there were five children in the car when the accident occurred.  Two children soon exited the blazing wreck, and were taken to Cook Children's Medical Center.  One other child was freed by Fort Worth firefighters and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital.  The other two children and the driver did not escape the wreck, and were pronounced dead at the scene. 

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An 18-wheeler being loaded with fuel exploded yesterday at a refinery in San Antonio.  The tanker truck was at the AGE Refining Inc. fueling station when the incident occurred.  The initial explosion set off a chain-reaction of several smaller explosions.  Firefighters worked for six hours battling the blaze, shutting off valves and cooling down tanks in an effort to prevent the fires from spreading. 

One man was critically burned in the incident, while numerous workers at the refinery were also injured. 

Residents living near the refinery were evacuated.  The explosions and fires sent a plume of black smoke over San Antonio's east side that lasted for much of the day while the fires burned themselves out.  Smoke was visible up to 40 miles away. 

Investigators do not yet know what caused the blast. 

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A number of popular items have been recently recalled because they have caused or could cause serious injury or death. 

Grills: Kuuma IR Stow and Go grills sold at West Marine stores nationwide from January 2009 through August 2009 have been recalled because of leaky propane tanks.  The leak poses a fire hazard, and at least three fires have started as a result of this defect.

Scuba Gear: TUSA RS-670 SCUBA regulators, sold nationwide by authorized TUSA distributors and also diving and equipment stores from May 2009 through September 2009 have been recalled because of a potential high-pressure leak.  The potential leak creates a drowning hazard. 

Baby Walkers: Baby walkers sold in California and Arizona from June 2009 through August 2009 bearing the item number L-0809EN and imported by Le Hing, Inc.  The walkers can fit through a standard doorway but are not designed to stop at the edge of a step.  These defects could cause serious injury or death to infants using such a walker. 

Click here for more information about recent recalls.

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